Deep Work: How to Make Space for Peak Productivity
You may have heard of Cal Newport before. He may just be the only millennial without social media, and he has a TED talk on the topic to prove it.
Newport is the much acclaimed author of several books on productivity and building powerful habits, including our favorite, Deep Work.
If you’re already a new Firmspace member, chances are you’ve received a copy or seen it on the top of our list of books to help you improve your management skills. Given the number of copies floating around the Firmspace offices, you may be wondering why we’re also taking the time to write up what we love so much about this approach to time management.
The answer is that we’d be lost without it. COVID-19 has made it especially challenging to construct a routine and find a work environment that’s conducive to high-impact thinking. If not for the dedicated hours we spend at the Austin Firmspace, we’d be hard pressed to do our own deep work on a daily basis.
Here’s what you need to know about deep work and how to establish your own practice in five steps.
What Is Deep Work?
Cal Newport’s definition of deep work is simple: “Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to the limit.” If that sounds like a lofty description, it should. Deep work’s three main characteristics are that it creates new value, improves your skills, and is difficult to replicate.
You may wonder how anyone gets deep work done in this day in age, or you may be thinking that your own day just has to include tasks that take a lower cognitive load – Newport calls this “shallow work.” And both are responsible responses.
Deep work isn’t code for “better concentration” – it requires that you focus without any distractions as you work to improve a specific skill. Newport says this repetitive firing of the same circuit acts like a workout for your neurons, allowing you to build that “mental muscle” as though you were working out in a gym.
It’s hard to imagine how to do deep work without the space, time, and privacy to focus in the way Cal Newport’s recommendations require. And that’s where having a reliable, private office space comes in.
How to Do Deep Work in 4 Steps
Newport’s deep work strategy is fairly straightforward and four steps long:
Answer the question “What is deep work?” for yourself. If you’re an email marketer, you may need to spend time doing research in their inbox, while an executive may need to turn off their internet connection and focus on developing a new strategy offline.
Establish a ritual around your deep work. This probably requires scheduling blocks of time for deep work on a daily basis, so that you won’t have to rely on willpower to get started. As with any habit, start small. Thirty minutes a day is a good place to start, and you may be able to build up to four hours a day over time.
Cut out any and all distractions. Think through what you need in your workspace: the noise level, snacks, water, and people in your space may distract you. Find a private office space where you can concentrate – this may not be your home office.
Create a “shutdown routine” to signal the end of your deep, focused work time. To do deep work, you also need to get substantial rest so that you can recharge. The easiest way to do this is by standing up and leaving your workspace. Shutting the door in this case is both literal and a helpful metaphor you can act out at the end of every session.
The largest practical hurdles exist in steps two and three: if you have kids in your house that are learning remotely or an elderly parent in the home, you may not have easy access to a home office during this pandemic, nevermind one that’s truly free of distractions.
For this reason, we’d like to propose adding a fifth step to the process, and it likely falls into place right after figuring out what deep work is for you: Establish a workspace that’s conducive to deep work.
Step #5: Commit to Making Space to Do Deep Work
To do deep work, you may need to locate a socially distant workspace that can foster your most dedicated efforts away from the obligations of everyday life. The good news is that this already exists for those looking for a day office and for professionals looking for a regular workspace.
In order to develop a successful and productive deep work ritual, you need to have a private office space where you effectively eliminate distractions.
Whether this means converting your garage into a furnished studio space or you choose to rent a day office in a proworking space, creating the space for meaningful, focused work typically requires that you commit to making space and time for your practice.
Private Workspace Is a Requirement for Deep Work
Cal Newport lives an admirable life, but we can’t all quit social media or spend a full four hours a day engaged in heads-down, uninterrupted work. It’s not lost on us that Newport’s own model work ethic is intimidating, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn a lot from his advice.
For hundreds of years, artists and writers have worked in dedicated studios where they can produce their craft in an optimized environment. You may not be sculpting Greek gods all day, but your work is as important and deserves the same type of attention, and the dining room table is no substitute for a private office space.
If you’re interested in joining Firmspace or renting a day office, book at tour to gauge how well your local proworking space will fit your needs.
Photo by Jeroen den Otter on Unsplash